This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of nectarine, Prunus persica var. nucipersica ‘Sunectwentyfour’. The new variety was first hybridized in 2002 and selected in 2004 by Terry Bacon as breeder number: ‘NE338’. The new variety was first evaluated by Terry A. Bacon near Wasco, Calif. in Kern County. The variety ‘Sunectwentyfour’ was originated by hybridization.
The new variety ‘Sunectwentyfour’ is characterized by early ripening, large sized fruit, low chilling requirements and nearly 100% over-color.
The seed parent is ‘94-018N’ (unpatented), and the pollen parent is not known as the pollen came from a bulk pollen mix originating from several unpatented low chill nectarine selections. The parent varieties were first crossed in February 2002, the date of first sowing being February 2003 and the date of first flowering being January 2004. The new nectarine variety ‘Sunectwentyfour’ was first asexually propagated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in June 2004 by budding.
The new variety ‘Sunectwentyfour’ is distinguished from its seed parent, ‘94-018N’ (unpatented), in that the new variety ripens about seven days earlier than the seed parent and the new variety has nearly 100% over-color, while 94-018N (unpatented) has 60-75% over-color. The fruit size of the new variety is also larger at 69 mm, compared to 94-018N (unpatented) with a diameter of 60 mm.
The new variety ‘Sunectwentyfour’ has a similar ripening time as ‘May Glo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,245), but the fruit is larger in size, at about 69 mm versus 62 mm for ‘May Glo’. The new variety ‘Sunectwentyfour’ has similar ripening time as ‘Zee Fire’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,501) but the new variety has a lower chilling requirement of 200 CH, compared to 300 CH for ‘Zee Fire’. The fruit of the new variety is also larger in size, about 69 mm versus 66 mm for ‘Zee Fire’.
The new variety ‘Sunectwentyfour’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, budding.